Regional Accrediting Bodies

Regional Accrediting Bodies

The United States is divided into eight regions, each one having an accreditation body which is recognized by the United States Department of Education. Universities and colleges use this system to transfer courses taken at one institution to another. PTSB uses the accreditation system to insure that an applicant’s institution has qualified, knowledgeable faculty and that their programs have rigor. An applicant’s teacher preparation program must, therefore, be accredited in order to be accepted for licensure in Wyoming.

How do I know for sure if the program I completed or want to take is accredited?

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the college or university that offers the program they have completed, or are interested in attending, and inquire DIRECTLY if the institution is accredited by the corresponding regional accrediting body. If the program is not accredited by one of the following below, then PTSB suggests that you seek another program because that program may not lead to licensure for the state of Wyoming.

As of July 1, 2013, the National Council for Accrediting of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) consolidated into the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), making CAEP the new, sole specialized accreditor for educator preparation. Until all institutions complete the next round of accreditation, PTSB recognizes both NCATE and CAEP accredited programs. For more information please visit http://ncate.org or http://caepnet.org.

What we do

The Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) is an independent professional licensing board that governs teacher licensure in the state of Wyoming. PTSB is responsible for evaluating the credentials of both current and prospective educators to ensure that all students are served by competent and ethical educators. Licenses are issued based on review and verification of applicants’ preparation and continuing professional development.